Ezekiel Elliott's delayed suspension could cause problems for the Cowboys in the playoffs

Ezekiel Elliott is expected to play on Sunday after yet
another turn regarding the legal case around his six-game
suspension.The NFL has made clear that Elliott's suspension would
carry over into the postseason should the Cowboys
qualify.The back-and-forth nature of the case leaves the
Cowboys in an odd position looking forward to a potential
playoff run.

It appeared that after much back-and-forth, Ezekiel Elliott's
six-game suspension was set to begin on
Sunday.

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But after a quick response from the 2nd US Circuit Court of
Appeals, Elliott's appeal will be heard next week, and granted
Elliott a stay in the meantime. He is now eligible to
play for the Cowboys on Sunday against the Kansas City
Chiefs.

A panel of three judges are expected to rule on Elliott's
suspension next week. However, the ongoing on-again/off-again
nature of Elliott's suspension could become a problem for the
Cowboys come playoff time.

As ESPN's Todd Archer
reported, the NFL has made clear that Elliott's suspension
would carry over into the postseason should the Cowboys qualify,
making the timeline for a final ruling on Elliott's case all the
more pressing for Dallas.

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If the panel of judges rule against Elliott next week, his
suspension would begin Week 10. But if the panel rules in
Elliott's favor, it's possible that the case will continue on a
week-to-week basis.

While losing a dynamic running back for six games is never
a desirable outcome, Dallas is a well-rounded team that could
fair well without him, with running backs Darren McFadden and
Alfred Morris available to pick up the slack in Elliott's
absence. Even without Zeke, the Cowboys could likely compete for
a playoff spot in the wide-open NFC.

But should the Cowboys make the postseason, the competition
is tougher and the stakes are higher. Dallas would much rather
lose Elliott for a midseason home game against the Chargers than
have him missing for a road wild card game in New Orleans.